Vending machine



April 28, 1964 w. R. TRAPP VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 15, 1961 INVENTOR. WLLIAM R. TRAPP ATTORNEY A ril 28, 1964 w. R. TRAPP 3,130,864

VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTOR. F1 9. 2 WILLIAM R. TRAPP ATTORNEY Ap ril 28, 1964 w. R. TRAPP VENDING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Nov. 15, 1961 Fig.4

5 Sheets-Sheet 4 W. R. TRAPP VENDING MACHINE A ril 28, 1964 Filed Nov. 15, 1961 April 1964 w. R. TRAPP 3,130,864

VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 15, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig.7

32 Fly. 8

INVENTOR. WILLIAM R. TRAPP ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,139,864 VENDHNG MACHINE William R. Trapp, La Crosse, Wis, assignor to La Crosse Cooler Company, La Crosse, Win, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Nov. 15, 1561, Ser. No. 152,977 9 Claims. (til. 221-125) This invention relates to selective vending machines in which a number of different articles are held against removal until a coin is deposited to permit removal of one article.

It is an object of this invention to provide a selective vending machine which permits a purchaser to remove the article selected but having mechanism which prevents the removal of more than one article for each coin deposited.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for holding the lock mechanism in an intermediate bottle release position when the purchaser pushes the bottle back in order to attempt to make a different selection whereby the purchaser does not lose 'his coin, because he can withdraw the bottle originally selected.

It is another object of this invention to means for returning the lock mechanism to its full release position when another coin is inserted whereby the purchaser can make any selection.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

PEG. 1 is a front elevational view of the bottle storage compartment and gate mechanism showing one bottle in partial release position.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the lock mecha nism in standby position with a portion of the front panel broken away to show the interior.

FIG. 3 is front elevational view of a portion of the lock mechanism in release position after the deposit of a com.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the lock mechanism as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation view of the lock mechanism in an intermediate position.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 2, and;

FIG. Sis an end view of a gate.

The device may expose for sale any number of articles in predetermined series. Two bottles are shown by way of illustration.

Referring now to FIG. 1, the bottles 18 are shown in position in the release openings 12 of the front plate 11. As the bottles are withdrawn from an opening, other bottles stored on an inclined tray 14 roll by gravity so that there is always a bottle in the release opening. The inclined trays and the general construction of the cabinet of the machine are shown in my US. Letters Patent No. 2,922,545, and the disclosure in that patent is incorpo rated by reference as part of this disclosure.

As the bottle is withdrawn it rolls upon a pivoted plate 16. The pivoted plate 16 is not essential because the bottle could slide on the edge of the opening 12. The pivoted plate 16 functions to reduce the force required to withdraw a bottle 10.

When the parts of the machine are in stand-by position the removal of a bottle is prevented by a gate 18. An end view of the gate 18 is shown in FIG. 8. The gate 18 has a boss 28 which is pivotally mounted in a bracket 22. The other end of the gate 18 has a square end 24 which engages in a square hole 26 in a cant 28 3,130,864 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 which is part of the lock mechanism indicated generally by numeral 30. Gate 18 has a roller 32 which engages bottle 11) and prevents its withdrawal until the gate is released. Gate 18 has an arm 34 which moves into and out of the path of pivotal movement of a bottle stop 36. As shown in FIG. 1 at the lower opening the bottle stop 36 is free to pivot and allow the movement of a bottle into a release opening when the gate 18 is in standby position. However, as shown at the upper opening, the arm 34 prevents pivotal movement of the bottle stop 36 when the gate 18 is moved by the withdrawal of the bottle 10.

The lock mechanism 30 has a frame 38 and a plate 40 secured thereto in any suitable manner as by screws (not shown).

A bolt 42 is slidably mounted in frame 38 for movement from a standby position as shown in FIG. 2 to a release position as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. Upon the deposit of a coin in the usual coin control mechanism (not shown) solenoid 44 is energized and through it pivotal connection 46 with bolt 42, it pulls bolt 42 to the position shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. A lever 48 is pivotally secured by a pin 50 to the front face of bolt 42. A detent 52 is pivotally secured by pin 5%) to the rear face of bolt 42. A spring 54 secured at one end to the frame 38 and at its other end to lever 48 exerts a force on the bolt 42 to move it toward standby position. Spring 54 also urges lever 48 in a clockwise direction about pin 58. A spring 55 is secured at one end to lever 48 and at its other end to detent 52 to urge detent 52 in a clockwise direction about pin 50. A dog 56 is pivotally mounted on frame 38 by a pin 58. A spring 60 secured between frame 30 and dog 56 urges dog 56 clockwise so that it is in position to engage projection 62 on lever 48. Dog 56 engages projection 62 to limit movement of lever 48 and bolt 42 to the left as viewed in FIG. 2. Dog 56 also engages projection 62 to limit counterclockwise pivotal movement of lever 48.

When the bolt 42 is moved to the release position by the solenoid 44, a projection 64 on detent 52 passes beyond an abutment 66 on frame 38 and spring 55 pivots detent 52 so that abutment 66 is in the path of the return movement of projection 62 as shown in FIG. 3. In this way the bolt 42 is held in release position and it is not necessary that energization of solenoid 44 be continued.

let it be lassurned that the purchaser withdraws a bottle from the lower of the two openings. The bottle pivots the gate 18 which is connected to and pivots the lower cam plate 28. When the lower cam plate 28 is pivoted a roller 68 mounted thereon forces upper slide 70 upwardly. A flange 72 upon the upper slide 70 moves upwardly therewith. This flange 72 is in the path of and prevents pivotal movement of the upper cam plate 28. Therefore it is not possible to withdraw a bottle from the top opening while a bottle is being withdrawn from the lower opening. Removal of a bottle from an opening below that being withdrawn is also prevented, because pivotal movement of lower cam plate 70 has put it in a position to block upward movement of the Ilower slide 70 (FIG. 5). Since the slides 7t are normally in contact, as shown in FIG. 2, the restraint on upward movement of any slide is effective on any slide beneath the one restrained. This applies throughout the series prior to release of the lock by retraction of the bolt 42 as above described. Retraction of the bolt permits any bottle in the series to be withdrawn but the rotation of one cam plate, consequent upon bottle withdrawal, locks all of the other cam plates by the described interaction of the slides.

As shown clearly in FIG. 5, a bar 74 is pivotally mounted at 75 on the frame 38. This bar 74 is engaged by the upper slide 78' and is moved upwardly about its pivot 75 when the upper block 70 is displaced as above described. Bar 74 engages a roller '76 on lever 48 and moves lever 43 and detent 52 counterclockwise. Counterclockwise movement of detent 52 moves abutment 64 out of the path of projection es and bolt 42 is moved by spring 54 to the right to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 5. The lever 48 has a projection 78 which engages flange 79 on frame 38 to prevent bolt 42 from moving further to the right to its standby position.

The mechanism for holding the look-mechanism in this intermediate release position will now be described. Adjacent each cam plate 28, a lever 89 is pivotally mounted on the frame 38 at 82. This lever 8?; is engaged by a pin 34' on the cam plate 23. A bar 86 extends through a slot in frame 38 so that it is slidably and pivot-ally mounted with respect to frame 3a. A spring 83 forces bar 86 toward lever 8i). It is evident from the arrangement of the lever 86 and bar 86 that the spring 88 biases the lever 80 toward one or another of its extreme positions and must be compressed to move the lever 8% across center from the release position to the standby position both of which are shown in FIG. 5.

Springs 9% act to return the cam plate 28 and its connected gate to standby position. However, they are not sufiicient to overcome the holding force of spring 83 when the gate is allowed to return slowly. The gate is returned slowly when the bottle is returned slowly or when the purchaser loses his grip on the bottle. The gate is also returned slowly when it passes over a reentrant portion of the bottle. In such cases the lock mechanism remains in release position and the purchaser can withdraw the bottle.

When the purchaser completes the withdrawal of a bottle, the gate drops suddenly off the end of the bottle. This sudden release of the gate is sufiicient to give the cam plate 23 momentum enough to overcome the force of spring 88, and the cam plate 28 then returns to standby position, allowing the return of any elevated slide 7%, and bar '74, stop 48 and bolt 42.

If the purchaser leaves the bottle in its original partially withdrawn position in the machine, the machine is locked up except for the bottle which was partially withrawn. However, the deposit of a coin by the next purchaser will return the entire machine to release position. This is accomplished in the following manner. The solenoid 44 moves the bolt 42 to the leit from its intermediate position. The dog as engaging the proiection 62 on lever 48 pivots lever 48 clockwise thereby forcing bar 74, slides 70, and the cam plate 28 to their standby posit-ions.

Although I have described a specific embodiment of my invention, I contemplate that various changes may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and therefore I desire to be limited only by the claims.

I claim:

1. In a selective vending machine, a cabinet having a series of aa'ticle supports, means providing a way extending beside the supports of said series, a series of slides including at least one slide for each support and normally in motion-transmitting engagement with each other in said way, a series of gates including a gate associated with each said support, each gate having means pivotally mounting it in said cabinet, each gate normally blocking removal of an article from its respective support and being swlngable from blocking position to article releasing position, gate controlling means including means for transmitting motion between each respective gate and an adjacent slide for the actuation of said slide and any intervening slide toward one end of the way in the course of the swinging of the respective gates toward ar=ticle releasing position, the slides being biased in opposition to the direction in which motion is transmitted to them by the respective gates, releasable \lock means adjacent said end of the way for blocking the advance toward said end of the slide closest thereto and thereby blocking the advance of other slides and the swinging movement.

of the respective gates toward article-releasing position, the release of said lock means permitting any slide to be moved by its respective gate toward the end of the way, displacing any intervening slide before it, means elfective upon the displacement of any snch intervening slide for locking its respective gate means against swinging movement to article releasing position, and means effective upon the swinging movement of any gate means for blocking the advance toward the said end of the way of any slide more remote from such end than the slide actuated by the swinging gate means, thereby precluding articlereleasing movement of the respective more remote gate means.

v2. A selective vending machine according to claim 1 in further combination with means for rendering said lock means again effective for releasably blocking the advance of the slide closest to the end of the way upon withdrawal of any article past the gate displaced thereby, and means for rendering said lock means ineffective on the gate blocking such article if the article is returned to its support short of complete withdrawal.

3. In a selective vending machine, the combination with a series of article supports, of a series of gates associated with respective supports and yieldably mounted to be displaced upon the withdrawal of articles from the respective supports, coin releasable means for locking the gates including means whereby deposit of a coin will unlock all of said gates concurrently, means for re-locking the respective gates upon withdrawal of an article from any of said supports, and means for precluding the locking of a particular gate past which an article is partially withdrawn and then replaced short of complete withdrawal.

4. A selective vending machine according to claim 3 in further combination with means for re-locking said last mentioned gate upon deposit of another coin and withdrawal of a diiferent article.

5. In a selective vending machine, the combination with a series of article supports and a series of gates associated with respective supports in the path of articles which are withdrawn from respective supports, the said gates having means mounting them for yielding movement out of such paths, releasable means for locking all of said gates against movement from the paths of articles on the respective supports, means whereby the partial withdrawal past a given gate following the release of said locking means will re-lock all of the other gates, means whereby the completion of withdrawal of the article will re-lock the given gate, and means for precluding the re-locking of said given gate in the event that the article is returned to its support short of complete Withdrawal.

6. In a selective article dispenser, the combination with a rack provided with a series of article supports from which articles may be withdrawn manually, of a corresponding series of gates one of which is disposed in the path of withdrawal of each article, means mounting the respective gates pivotally on the rack to swing from article obstructing to article releasing positions, cams connected with the respective gates for oscillation in the course of the swinging movement of the gates, means providing a way extending past the several cams, slides reciprocably mounted in the way for movement between advanced and retracted positions and having motion transmitting engagement with each other, there being a separate slide opposite each cam and each slide being gravity biased toward retracted position, releasable means for locking the uppermost cam and the uppermost slide of said series, cam follower means engaged with respective cams for lifting such slides as are above the cam actuated by the swin ing of a particular gate toward article releasing position, spring means biasing the respective cams toward article obstructing position, means whereby the movement of a gate toward article releasing position restrains the gates above and below the last mentioned gate from movement to article releasing position, a snap action mechanism initially opposing movement of each cam from either of said positions toward the other and having sufiicient resistance to preclude completion of movement of a gate toward article obstructing position unless the gate has substantial momentum to overcome the resistance of said snap action mechanism, and means whereby the movement of a gate from article releasing position to article obstructing position renders said locking means reeffective upon all of said slides and gates.

7. In a selective article dispensing mechanism, the combination with first and second supports for articles to be dispensed, and first and second gates associated with the respective supports and having means pivotally mounting them for swinging movement between article obstructing and article releasing positions, of first and second cams connected with the respective gates to partake of the swinging movement thereof, a cam follower operatively mounted for coaction with the first cam, means providing a way extending past said cams, a first slide reciprocable in the way between advanced and retracted positions and engaged with the cam follower and having cam obstmct ing means effective in an advanced position of the first slide to preclude swinging movement of the first gate, said first gate otherwise being controlled by said cam follower, means for releasably locking the cam follower to resist displacement of the first cam and the first slide, a second slide having a cam follower with which the second cam engages to displace the second slide in the course of swinging movement of the second gate to article releasing position, the second slide having motion transmitting portions engaging the first slide, whereby the said means for releasably locking the cam follower precludes movement of the second slide and the second gate as well as the first gate, means biasing the respective cams and gates toward the respective article-obstructing gate positions, and snap action means engaged with each of said cams and initially resisting the return thereof from article releasing to article obstructing positions, the said snap action means overcoming the action of said biasing means unless the respective cam so engaged has momentum supplementing the action of its respective biasing means in opposition to said snap action means, whereby a gate swung by an article toward article-releasing position snaps to article-obstructing position upon withdrawal of the article released but tends to retain a position short of article obstructing position if the article is restored to its support.

8. In a selective article dispensing mechanism, the combination with an article support and a gate movable swingably between article-obstructing and article-releasing posi tions, motion transmitting connections controlling the gate, locking means therefor comprising a pivoted lever, a bolt having means supporting it for movement generally longitudinally of the lever, a second lever pivoted to the bolt and having a shoulder normally engaged with said bolt supporting means, a cam connected with said gate, a cam follower engaged with the cam and having a portion in motion transmitting connection with the lever in a manner to preclude gate movement to article-releasing position when said shoulder is engaged with the supporting means, and means to retract said bolt and second lever to free said gate for movement to article-releasing position.

9. In a selective article dispensing mechanism, the combination with an article support from which an article to be dispensed can be manually withdrawn, a pivoted gate controlling article withdrawal and having swinging movement between article-obstructing position and articlereleasing position, and locking mechanism for said gate including a member connected with the gate to partake of its swinging movement, a locking bolt, means in motion transmitting relation between said bolt and said member for releasably locking said member, said bolt having an advanced locking position and a retracted release position, means for retracting the bolt, detent means engageable for restraining the bolt in its release position, the bolt having an actuating spring biasing it for movement to its locking position, means whereby the swinging movement of said gate to article releasing position disengages said detent, leaving said bolt subject to the bias of its said spring, the said means in motion transmitting relation tending to actuate said gate toward resilient snap action means opposing the said movement of the gate with sufficient bias to overcome the bias of the spring upon the bolt and thereby to hold the bolt in its retracted position unless movement of the gate is sufiiciently abrupt so that its momentum supplements the bias of the spring upon the bolt as a means of overcoming the resistance of the snap action means to movement of the gate and bolt.

Boolcout et -al. Oct. 16, 1956 Hsu et al. Mar. 3, 1959 

1. IN A SELECTIVE VENDING MACHINE, A CABINET HAVING A SERIES OF ARTICLE SUPPORTS, MEANS PROVIDING A WAY EXTENDING BESIDE THE SUPPORTS OF SAID SERIES, A SERIES OF SLIDES INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE SLIDE FOR EACH SUPPORT AND NORMALLY IN MOTION-TRANSMITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER IN SAID WAY, A SERIES OF GATES INCLUDING A GATE ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SAID SUPPORT, EACH GATE HAVING MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING IT IN SAID CABINET, EACH GATE NORMALLY BLOCKING REMOVAL OF AN ARTICLE FROM ITS RESPECTIVE SUPPORT AND BEING SWINGABLE FROM BLOCKING POSITION TO ARTICLE RELEASING POSITION, GATE CONTROLLING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING MOTION BETWEEN EACH RESPECTIVE GATE AND AN ADJACENT SLIDE FOR THE ACTUATION OF SAID SLIDE AND ANY INTERVENING SLIDE TOWARD ONE END OF THE WAY IN THE COURSE OF THE SWINGING OF THE RESPECTIVE GATES TOWARD ARTICLERELEASING POSITION, THE SLIDES BEING BIASED IN OPPOSITION TO THE DIRECTION IN WHICH MOTION IS TRANSMITTED TO THEM BY THE RESPECTIVE GATES, RELEASABLE LOCK MEANS ADJACENT SAID END OF THE WAY FOR BLOCKING THE ADVANCE TOWARD SAID END OF THE SLIDE CLOSEST THERETO AND THEREBY BLOCKING THE ADVANCE OF OTHER SLIDES AND THE SWINGING MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE GATES TOWARD ARTICLE-RELEASING POSITION, THE RELEASE OF SAID LOCK MEAN PERMITTING ANY SLIDE TO BE MOVED BY ITS RESPECTIVE GATE TOWARD THE END OF THE WAY, DISPLACING ANY INTERVENING SLIDE BEFORE IT, MEANS EFFECTIVE UPON THE DISPLACEMENT OF ANY SUCH INTERVENING SLIDE FOR LOCKING ITS RESPECTIVE GATE MEANS AGAINST SWINGING MOVEMENT TO ARTICLE RELEASING POSITION, AND MEANS EFFECTIVE UPON THE SWINGING MOVEMENT OF ANY GATE MEANS FOR BLOCKING THE ADVANCE TOWARD THE SAID END OF THE WAY OF ANY SLIDE MORE REMOTE FROM SUCH END THAN THE SLIDE ACTUATED BY THE SWINGING GATE MEANS, THEREBY PRECLUDING ARTICLERELEASING MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE MORE REMOTE GATE MEANS. 